On August 7, the White House announced an expedited approval schedule for seven solar and wind projects on federal and tribal lands in Arizona, California, Nevada and Wyoming totaling 5,000 megawatts (MW) of energy-producing capacity, an amount sufficient to power roughly 1.5 million homes.

Three of the proposals would be first to come on line. The Quartzsite, McCoy and Desert Harvest solar energy facilities represent a combined 1,000 MW of capacity, and are on schedule for approval this year. Another project announced is the 3,000 MW Chokecherry and Sierra Madre wind energy project in Carbon County, Wyoming, which would be the largest in North America.

If approved on schedule, the seven projects would add to the 7,200 MW of renewable energy the Obama administration already has permitted on federal lands and would help exceed a goal set by the 2005 Energy Policy Act to permit 10,000 MW of renewable energy by 2015.

For more information on environmental law topics, please contact one of the Burr & Forman team members for assistance. We are happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.